The story of the Lovers of Syria; or, The Heroine.
There formerly dwelt in the city of Damascus two brothers, one
poor and the other rich, the former of whom had a son, and the
latter a daughter. The poor man dying left his son, just emerging
from infancy, to the protection of his wealthy uncle, who behaved
to his unfortunate charge with paternal tenderness, till the
youth, who had exchanged vows of love with his cousin, requested
her in marriage; when the father refused, and expelled him from
his house. The young lady, however, who ardently loved him,
agreed to elope, and having one night escaped from her father's
dwelling, repaired to the object of her affection; who, having
had notice of her intentions, had prepared two horses and a mule
to carry their baggage. They travelled all night, and by morning
reached a sea-port, where they found a ship ready to sail, in
which, having secured a passage, the lady immediately embarked;
but the lover remained on shore to dispose of the horses and
mule. While he was seeking for a purchaser in the market, a fair
wind sprung up, and the master of the ship having weighed anchor,
hoisted sail and departed: the lady in vain entreating him to
wait the return of her beloved, or send her on shore, for he was
captivated with her beauty. Finding herself thus ensnared, as she
was a woman of strong mind, instead of indulging in unavailing
complaint, she assumed a satisfied air; and as the only way to
preserve her honour, received the addresses of the treacherous
master with pretended complacency, and consented to receive him
as a husband at the first port at which the ship might touch.
With these assurances he was contented, and behaved to her with
honourable deference, and affectionate respect. At length the
vessel anchored near a city, to which the captain went to make
preparations for his marriage; but the lady, while he was on
shore, addressed the ship's crew, setting forth with such force
his treacherous conduct to herself, and offering such rewards if
they would convey her to her lover at the port they had left,
that the honest sailors were moved in her favour, agreed to obey
her as their mistress, and hoisting sail, left the master to
shift for himself. After some days of favourable weather, a
contrary gale blowing hard, the vessel was driven far out of her
course, and for shelter obliged to anchor in the first haven that
offered, which proved to be that of a large city, the capital of
a potent sultan, whose officers came on board to examine the
vessel, and inquire into her cargo and destination. These men, to
their great surprise, finding it commanded by a lady of exquisite
beauty, reported her charms to the sultan, who resolved to
possess them, and sent her an offer of marriage; to which she
seemingly consented, and the sultan commanded the most splendid
preparations to be made for the nuptials. When all was ready, he
sent onboard the vessel the daughter of his vizier, with other
ladies, thirty-nine in number, magnificently attired, to wait
upon his bride, and attend her on shore. They were graciously
received by the politic lady, and invited to refresh themselves
in the grand cabin, which she had elegantly adorned with costly
hangings, and prepared in it a superb collation, to which they
sat down. She then dismissed the boats in which they came,
sending a message to the sultan that she should entertain the
ladies on board till the next morning, when she would repair on
shore and conclude their marriage. She behaved towards her new
guests with such winning affability, that they one and all
admired their expected sultana, and partook of the entertainment
with the highest satisfaction; but what was their surprise when,
in the middle of the night, she commanded the crew to weigh
anchor, having first warned them, on pain of her displeasure and
immediate death, to keep silence, and raise no alarm in the
harbour. The vessel sailed, and put to sea without being
molested, when the intrepid commandress consoled the affrighted
ladies, related to them her own adventures, and assured them that
when she should have rejoined her lover, they should, if they
chose it, be honourably restored to their homes; but in the mean
time she hoped they would contentedly share her fortunes. This
behaviour, by degrees, so won upon their minds, that the ladies
forgot their sorrows, became pleased with their situation, and in
a short time were so attached to their new mistress, that they
would not have left her had it been in their power. After some
weeks sail, it became necessary to steer towards the first coast
that should present itself, to lay in a supply of fresh water and
provisions, and land appearing, the vessel anchored, when the
lady with her companions went on shore. Here they were surrounded
by forty robbers, who threatened to take them prisoners; when the
heroic lady, desiring her friends to conceal their fears, assumed
a smiling countenance, and addressing the chief of the banditti,
assured him there would be no occasion for force, as she and her
companions were ready to share their love, being women who were
above the prejudices of their sex, and had devoted themselves to
pleasure, in search of which they roved on board their vessel
from one coast to another, and would now stay with them as long
as they might wish for their company. This declaration suiting
the depraved minds of the robbers, they laid aside their fierce
looks and warlike weapons, bringing abundance of all sorts of
provisions to regale their expected mistresses, with whom they
sat down to a plentiful repast, which was heightened by a store
of wines which the lady had brought in her boats from the ship.
Mirth and jollity prevailed; but the fumes of the liquors, in
which the politic lady had infused strong opiates, suddenly
operated upon their senses, and they fell down one and all in a
state of stupefaction. She then with her companions drew the
sabres of their brutal admirers and put them all to death
excepting the chief, whom they bound hand and foot with strong
cords, and after cutting off his beard and mustachios, tied his
own cimeter round his neck, leaving him to feel mortification
worse than death on the recovery of his senses, namely, the sight
of his slaughtered fellows, and regret at the loss of his
imagined happiness. The ladies then stripped the caves of the
robbers of the vast wealth which they had hoarded up from their
plunders, and having carried it on board their boats, with a
stock of water and provisions, returned to the ship, weighed
anchor, and sailed triumphant and rejoicing from such a dangerous
coast. After some weeks' sail they again descried land, to which
they approached, and discovered a spacious harbour, round which
rose a vast city, the buildings of which were sublimely lofty,
adorned with flights of marble steps to the water's edge, and
crowned with domes and minarets topped with pinnacles of gold.
The enterprising lady having anchored, clothed herself and her
companions in magnificent male habits; after which she ordered
the boats to be hoisted out, and they were rowed ashore by part
of their crew richly dressed. On landing, they found all the
inhabitants of the city in mourning, and making doleful
lamentation for their late sultan, who had died only a few days
before. The gallant appearance of a stranger so nobly attended
created much surprise, and intelligence of the arrival was
instantly conveyed to the vizier, who acted as regent till the
eleftion of a new monarch, which ceremony was just on the point
of taking place. The minister, who thought he perceived in such a
critical arrival the work of fate, immediately waited on the now
supposed prince, whom he invited to be present at the election;
at the same time informing him that when in this kingdom a sultan
died without issue, the laws appointed that his successor should
be chosen by the alighting of a bird on his shoulder, which bird
would be let fly among the crowd assembled in the square before
the palace. The seeming prince accepted the invitation, and with
the disguised ladies was conducted to a gorgeous pavilion, open
on all sides, to view the ceremony. The ominous bird being
loosened from his chain, soared into the air to a great height,
then gradually descending, flew round and round the square
repeatedly, even with the faces of the spectators. At length it
darted into the pavilion, where the lady and her companions were
seated, fluttered around her head, and at length rested upon her
shoulder, giving at the same time a cry of exultation, stretching
its neck, and flapping its wings. Immediately upon this, the
viziers and courtiers bowed themselves to the ground, and the
assembled crowd prostrated themselves on the earth, crying out,
"Long live our glorious sultan, the chosen of Providence, the
elecled by the decrees of fate!" The disguised lady was instantly
conducted to the palace, seated on a splendid throne, and
proclaimed amidst the acclamations of the people, sovereign of an
extensive empire; nor were the abilities of her mind unequal to
the task of government. In a few days the vizier offered to the
supposed sultan his daughter in marriage; and his offer being
accepted, the nuptials were celebrated with the utmost
magnificence; but what was the astonishment of the bride, when,
instead of being caressed, the sultan on retiring with her became
cold and reserved, rose from her, and spent the night in prayer.
In the morning the sultana was questioned by her mother; who, on
her relating the behaviour of the husband, observed, that
possibly from his youth he might be over reserved; but that love
would naturally in time operate its effect. Several evenings past
in the same manner, when the bride, mortified at such coldness,
could no longer restrain herself, and said, "Why, my lord, if you
disliked me, did you take me to wife? but if you love not as
other men, tell me so, and I will suffer my misfortune in
silence." The lady, moved by this remonstrance, replied, "Most
virtuous princess, would that for your sake I were of the sex you
suppose me; but, alas! I am like you a woman, disappointed in
love." She then related to her the wonderful adventures she had
undergone since leaving her father's house, at which the vizier's
daughter was so affected that she vowed for her a lasting
friendship, agreed to keep her secret, and live with her till
such times as chance should restore her lover. In return for this
kindness the lady promised that should the object of her
affections ever arrive, he should marry them both, and that she
should have the precedence in the ceremony of union. The two
friends having thus agreed, the vizier's daughter regained her
cheerfulness, and means were taken to convince her father,
mother, and friends of the consummation of the nuptials. From
this time they lived in perfect happiness together, one
exercising the authority of sultan to the satisfaction of the
subject, and the other acting the part of a satisfied and
obedient wife; but still both were anxious to meet their mutual
husband. As the capital of the kingdom was a mart for most
nations of the world, the pretended sultan formed the following
stratagem for discovering her beloved, not doubting but that he
would travel over all parts of the world in search of the object
of his affection. She erected a most magnificent caravanserai,
furnished with baths hot and cold, and every convenience for the
weary traveller. When it was finished, she issued a proclamation,
that sojourners from all parts should be welcome to lodge in it,
and be provided with every necessary till they could accommodate
themselves in the city, or pursued, if only travellers, their
journey to another part. Over the gate of this edifice she placed
an exact statue of herself, and gave orders to the guards that
whatever stranger, on looking at it, should shew signs of
agitation, or utter words signifying that he knew the original,
should be immediately seized and confined in the palace. Many
weeks had not passed when the father of this enterprising lady,
who had travelled many thousands of miles in search of his
daughter, arrived at the gate, and on seeing the statue,
exclaimed, "Alas! alas! how like my poor, lost child!" He wds
immediately carried to the palace, lodged in a magnificent
apartment, treated with the highest respect; but kept in complete
ignorance as to the cause of his confinement and his future fate.
Not long after this, his disconsolate nephew, who, on the
departure of the treacherous captain, had wandered from city to
city in hopes of finding his mistress, arrived, and repaired to
the caravanserai.
On sight of the statue his feelings overcame him; he sighed and
fainted: when he was taken up by the guards and lodged in the
palace, where being come to himself, he was astonished at the
repect and attention paid him by the domestics, and the splendid
manner in which he was entertained; but it was in vain that he
inquired the cause of his detention, the only answer he could get
being, "Have patience, my lord, and repose yourself till
Providence shall free you from our confinement." Soon after this
the master of the ship, who had visited port after port in hopes
of recovering his vessel, reached the city, and hearing of the
hospitality with which all strangers were received at the
caravanserai of the sultan, repaired to the gateway; but no
sooner had he cast his eyes on the statue, than he exclaimed,
"Ah! how like to the artful yet virtuous woman who cheated me of
my property by stealing my ship." Immediately he was seized by
the guards, and conveyed to the palace, but treated with
kindness. Many days had not succeeded to this event, when the
sultan and the vizier, whose daughter with the thirty-nine ladies
had been so artfully carried away from them by the enterprising
heroine of this history, made their appearance at the gateway of
the caravanserai, and on beholding the statue, cried out, "Surely
this is the likeness of her who deprived us of our children; ah!
that we could find her and be revenged on her hypocrisy!" On
saying this they were apprehended and taken to the palace, where
they were conducted to apartments suitable to their rank. In a
few days afterwards the chief of the banditti, who, burning with
the ireful resolution of revenging the deaths of his associates,
had travelled from place to place in hopes of finding the object
of his fury, arrived at the gateway, and observing the statue,
roared out in a rage, "Surely this is the resemblance of my
tormenter; oh! that I could meet thy original, so that I might
have the satisfaction of making her blood atone for the murder of
my friends!" Instantly, as he had spoken, the guards at the gate
rushing upon him, bound him hand and foot, conveyed him to the
palace, where he was confined in a loathsome dungeon, and fed on
the coarsest viands.
The pretended sultan having now all the parties in her power, one
morning ascended her throne in full audience, and commanded them
to be brought before her. When they had made their obeisance, she
commanded them to relate the cause of their having journeyed to
her capital; but the royal presence rendered them incapable of
uttering a word: upon which she exclaimed, "Since you cannot
speak, I will;" and then discovered to their astonished minds the
adventures of each, which had occasioned their travelling. She
then discovered herself, and fell upon the necks of her father
and lover, with whom she retired into the private apartments. The
sultan and his vizier were made happy in the company of the
daughter of the latter and the other ladies. The master of the
ship, as his troubles had atoned for his irregular behaviour, was
received into favour, and had his vessel restored; but the savage
chief of the banditti was put to death, by being cast into a
burning pile, that no further injury might be offered to mankind.
In a few days, the most magnificent preparations being made, the
double nuptials of the heroic lady and her friend the vizier's
daughter were celebrated with her constant lover, to whom she
resigned her throne, and the happy wives lived together in
felicity, undisturbed by jealousy of the husband's attention to
either, so equally did they share his love. The sultan and
vizier, after being long entertained at the court, took leave,
and returned, under an escort, to their own country; but the
daughter and the thirty-nine ladies could not be prevailed upon
to accompany them, only to visit and bid farewell to their
parents, for such was their attachment to their gallant mistress,
that they came back immediately, and were espoused to the
principle nobles of her court. Years of unusual happiness passed
over the heads of the fortunate adventurers of this history,
until death, the destroyer of all things, conducted them to a
grave which must one day be the resting-place for ages of us all,
till the receiving angel shall sound his trumpet.